Our service is free and we are here to help you. Learn About Shortness of Breath. Section Menu. Key Facts If your breathing has become labored and difficult for no obvious reason, it may be the sign of a more serious medical problem. If chest pain or pressure, fainting or nausea accompanies shortness of breath, you should treat it as a medical emergency. Most shortness of breath is manageable with appropriate medication, breathing techniques and exercise.
What Causes Shortness of Breath? Some other possible causes include: Carbon monoxide poisoning Heart attack Low blood pressure Asthma flare-up Pneumonia Pulmonary embolism blood clot in the lungs Emotional distress or a panic attack If your shortness of breath symptoms last for four weeks or longer they may be considered chronic. Many conditions can cause chronic breathlessness including: Chronic lung diseases, including COPD , asthma , pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension Heart disease or congestive heart failure Obesity Physical deconditioning.
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Common causes include asthma , a chest infection , being overweight , and smoking. It can also be a sign of a panic attack. But sometimes it could be a sign of something more serious, such as a lung condition called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD or lung cancer. Do not try to self-diagnose the cause of your shortness of breath — always see a GP. Page last reviewed: 20 October Next review due: 20 October People with sleep apnea experience shortness of breath while they sleep.
This can lead to waking up frequently, which can diminish the quality and duration of your sleep. Try lying on your side with a pillow between your legs and your head elevated by pillows, keeping your back straight. Or lie on your back with your head elevated , and your knees bent, with a pillow under your knees.
Both of these positions help your body and airways relax, making breathing easier. Have your doctor assess you for sleep apnea and use a CPAP machine if recommended. Diaphragmatic breathing can also help manage shortness of breath.
A study found that combining these breathing strategies helped expand chest volume in a group of people with COPD and reduced the number of breaths they needed to take. Various experts recommend using a fan to blow cool air and help relieve shortness of breath, and some older research supports this. Pointing a small handheld fan toward your face may help your symptoms. Findings published in found using a fan helped people who had difficulty breathing due to late-stage cancer.
An early study indicated that caffeine relaxes the muscles in the airways of people with asthma , which could help improve lung function for up to 4 hours. It does this by blocking the receptors of certain chemicals that contribute to shortness of breath. But ask your doctor before increasing your caffeine intake. Because of its stimulant effects, consuming too much caffeine may have a negative impact on your health, especially if you have heart disease. Learn more about how caffeine affects the body.
There are many possible causes of shortness of breath, some of which are serious and require emergency medical care. If you know why you have difficulty breathing and the symptoms are mild, you can take steps to relieve it at home.
Learn about how to prepare for high altitudes if you have COPD. Medications for breathlessness include :. Some people who have a lung condition benefit from a form of therapy known as pulmonary rehabilitation.
A therapist will teach you ways to manage breathlessness. They can also advise on lifestyle choices like boosting fitness levels and quitting smoking, if appropriate.
Pulmonary rehabilitation can help you manage your breathing and may improve your overall wellbeing and quality of life. Counseling like cognitive-behavioral therapy CBT might be suitable for some people with shortness of breath. CBT can help you find new ways to face stressful situations. This type of therapy can help address some of the factors that cause breathlessness or make it worse. Your doctor might recommend it alongside pulmonary rehabilitation.
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